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Monday, August 19, 2013

Schools in session!

My oldest daughter and her husband are both teachers. Elizabeth is a Landscape Architect by degree, but obtained her Teacher Certification in Art not long after she married. In the 3 years since they have been adding to their family, a nanny has come to the house for the children. I was working full time, so my help was not available.

Three things happened over the past year. One, I was laid off from my teaching position ( which I will blog about someday). Two, the nanny's husband was transferred. Three, baby number 3 was on the way! Because at this time I was not working, I was taking care of my new granddaughter , Rachel.

So because of the nanny leaving in March, I stepped in to finish out the school year with 3 of the grandchildren. I drove to my daughter's house 4 days a week. It's about 25 minutes away. The blessing was driving in the opposite direction of the worst traffic.

During this past summer, I kept my oldest grandson, Patrick, and Rachel ( they are brother and sister). Are you confused yet? They are the children of my second daughter, Julia.

The adults tossed around many ideas over the summer to see how childcare would work in the fall. About 3 weeks ago, it became obvious that I would not be returning to work and Mr. Golfer and I decided to commit to me watching the grandchildren full time.

In the past I have had one day a week off. I attend a knitting group once a week that I won't give up and needed a day for Dr. appointments and such. I am now having to give part of that day up, but insist that I still be able to attend my knitting group.

Thrown into the mix of all this is that Baby Luke will arrive in just a few weeks!

So each day is going to look different this fall. The 2 oldest grandchildren go to the same preschool. One goes 3 days a week and the other 2 days. Another set of grandparents will step in one day a week to take 3 and just leave me with 2. On yet another day, I will have all five!

It really seems hard and hectic, and yes, somedays have been and will be. After all, I am much older than when I did this the first time. But, cars and car seats have been shifted around so that I always have a way to get out. Houses have been set up to accommodate all the little ones. Schedules have
flexed to help me out and there is talk of purchasing a designated car so we can stop putting miles on
the others.

Don't get me wrong. The have been glitches. Opinions have differed. We have not always thought about the big picture, but more about ourselves. But ultimately, we have all realized this is about the children and that we need to keep the focus on them.

"But, He promised new mercies, so the sun came up this morning and we walked into our new life together, with a fresh start, a blank canvas. There is so much left to paint, so many words left to say, so much grace yet to give—as He writes His story on our hearts."